Remove stuck manifold screws Genesis 1000

[Jeff Hanson]

I started stripping and cleaning my Genesis 1000 today. The wire brush did a pretty good job inside but I’m leaning toward bringing a pile of metal parts to a sandblaster. I also took survey of all the replaceable parts and ordered some new ones.

The rails for the slide out tray are pretty rusty but I was able to remove the screws without much effort on a small ratchet. The left side frame mounting screw looked like a rusty metal toothpick and the rusty hole in the cross bar where it was attached is big enough for a mouse to crawl in. I have seen the video on how to cut that out and replace with new stock, which I will do.

The drip pan and slide out tray and the flavor bars are all pretty beat up so I ordered new ones. The grill bars and hanging basket themselves are meh serviceable but I ordered some new ones anyway. The burners are rusty but ok except the rear one has a crack thru about 1/3-1/2 of the holes on the forward facing side, which explains the extreme hot spot in that back left corner, so I ordered some new pipes too.

The problem I am having is removing the screws attaching the brackets on the manifold to the fire box. They are size 5 metric hex head bolts, and I tried to break them free but am a little scared I’ll either strip them or crack the box.

Does anyone have any advice on how to free them up? Should I use penetrating oil, or maybe some heat? I have a heat gun but I could just fire up the grill too I guess. Pics of all this attached

 

[DanHoo]

I snap them off and replace with 1/4 inch bolts

 

[Jeff Hanson]

I snap them off and replace with 1/4 inch bolts

You mean like bolt washer nut thru the existing hole? Smaller than the threads or do u file them out? SS?

 

[DanHoo]

You mean like bolt washer nut thru the existing hole? Smaller than the threads or do u file them out? SS?

Exactly.

1/4 in 20 tpi Stainless. IIRC 1.5 inch long.
I use a flat washer on the inside and a lock washer and nut on the outside

 

[Jeff Hanson]

Exactly.

1/4 in 20 tpi Stainless. IIRC 1.5 inch long.
I use a flat washer on the inside and a lock washer and nut on the outside

Good stuff. Do you have to drill them out after snapping them off? Grind down the head first?

 

[DanHoo]

Good stuff. Do you have to drill them out after snapping them off? Grind down the head first?

If I'm lucky the bolt comes out clean.

I snap it off from the outside and then work the bolt out with a box end or vice grips from the inside.

Worst case is it both sides of the bolt snap and leaves a portion of the bolt in the cookbox. Personally I've not had that happen but I've read it can happen.

Edit: vice grips twisting from the inside has worked well for me after snapping the wingnut on the outside.

 

[DanHoo]

This is not original. Someone has messed with this before.

 

[LMichaels]

Yeah never saw a stock Weber with a hex head. Also IIRC Weber did use stainless steel bolts as OEM

 

[Jeff Hanson]

This is not original. Someone has messed with this before.

View attachment 122056

Yea it’s a hairy situation. These bolts terminate flush with the box on the inside

 

[Steve Hoch]

If you buy Weber burner tubes and not aftermarket, they will come with new stainless steel hardware for the manifold.

 

[DanHoo]

Yea it’s a hairy situation. These bolts terminate flush with the box on the inside

I'd hit it with PB blaster on both sides as a start and try to unthread it. Good vice grips on the inside if possible.

If you cannot unthread or snap it off you may have to drill out the bolt. I'd drill from the allen head side. Start with a small bit. The bolt is quarter inch. If you get all the way through with an eighth inch drill bit the bolt will probably be weakened enough to snap off.

 

[Bruce]

A 1/4" impact driver can be your friend in this situation.

 

[Jeff Hanson]

I'd hit it with PB blaster on both sides as a start and try to unthread it. Good vice grips on the inside if possible.

If you cannot unthread or snap it off you may have to drill out the bolt. I'd drill from the allen head side. Start with a small bit. The bolt is quarter inch. If you get all the way through with an eighth inch drill bit the bolt will probably be weakened enough to snap off.

A 1/4" impact driver can be your friend in this situation.

I just drilled them out, no reason to risk it. Used the impact driver with a set of Milwaukee titanium quad edge bits my wife got my last Christmas. Started with 1/8” then 3/16” then 1/4”. Pics included they cut metal like butter

Worked pretty good, drilled them from inside out toward the Allen head. I kissed the fire box on the rear screw a little bit but still came out thru the head, and had to jimmy the bolt out with the vise grips but it’s nothing a washer can’t cover up. The front screw I hit so dead center I surprised myself lol. It went shooting off on its own and the manifold is now free.

Do people usually blast and repaint the manifolds in a restoration? Mines a little colored up, don’t want to ruin anything though

 

[Jeff Hanson]

Here are some pics. There is a crack on the elbow where the hose connects to the manifold, doubt that’s ideal

 

[LMichaels]

I do not like the crack in that fitting. Thank looks like a gas explosion waiting for a place to happen

 

[Jeff Hanson]

I do not like the crack in that fitting. Thank looks like a gas explosion waiting for a place to happen

Big time. What should I replace it with?

 

[Steve Hoch]

I would definitely replace or eliminate the cracked fitting. You can screw the hose directly into the manifold if you want to. As far as refinishing the manifold, I sand them down and repaint them. If you're going to do sandblasting on other parts anyway you may as well have the manifold done at the same time, I would.

 

[LMichaels]

It's a simple brass 1/8" NPT fitting. Available pretty much at any home center i.e. Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, a hardware store, what have you

 

[Steve Hoch]

After taking a closer look at this picture it looks like the area around that cracked fitting may have been compromised by rust. I would wire brush that area to make sure before investing any time or money in that manifold.

 

[LMichaels]

I might have one or 2 of those old manifolds in my back garage. I'll take a look tomorrow